Narrowing mechanism for straight knitting machines



K. P. BAUER July 27, 1954 NARROWING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1952 r I I I m Y Q NEW I 3 g m |L Q r I Nvm E QQ KIM S. Qm E m If] 0 g I 3 T E mm \m \m x Q w. R u A u Q Q I Q Q mmmw QMRQMMMQWQNR afa I I R m I 1 m E HH K. P. BAUER July 27, 1954 I NARROWING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 10, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY y 1954 K. P. BAUER 2,684,582

NARROWING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 10, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR BY Ifurl PpjBauer y 1954 K. P. BAUER 2,684,582

NARROWING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Sept. 10, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FI.E- E ?lE=lU FlEi-; ll

urZ P uuer ATT ORN EY Patented July 27, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE NARROWING MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Application September 10, 1952, Serial No. 308,775

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in full-fashioned knitting machines and more particularly to narrowing mechanism for such machines of the type having wide and narrow point combs.

In many multi-section full-fashioned knitting machines for producing complete stocking blanks, including the leg and foot portions, the machines are provided with the so-called footer type narrowing mechanism, having two sets of point combs, the first conventionally being wide and the second narrow. Conventionally in the use of this type of narrowing mechanism, only the first or wide combs are positively connected to the narrowing nuts for movement with them in opposite directions the second or narrow combs being connected to the nuts at times but only for movement in the narrowing direction. Thus in fashioning the leg, heel and sole portions only the wide combs of each pair are employed and the narrow combs are positioned adjacent to each other at the center of each section where the points of the combs are held inactive by a covering knife. At the start of the toe portion of the blanks, the narrow combs are moved manually to a position adjacent the wide combs and the wide and narrow combs are then operated in non-unison relation to form the diamond point narrowings the narrow combs being moved only in the narrowing direction by the nuts.

There is now a trend to form an additional toe tip portion in the stocking blanks, following the diamond point narrowings, in which the fabric edges are narrowed substantially to a point whereby the toe looping operation may be eliminated. In this top tip portion, the narrowing marks are formed along lines converging with each other and with the selvage edges of the tip portion. To cause the toe tip narrowings to converge with the selvage edges, both the wide and narrow point combs must be employed as a unit at each side of the knitting section, the combs at opposite sides of the section being given a movement toward each other to narrow the tip portion and an idle movement away from each other to position the combs for a subsequent narrowing movement. Therefore, for this operation the narrow point combs must be positively connected to move with the nuts in both directions.

Also in forming stockings having lace or nonrun loop formations, the reinforced portions of the stockings are usually of plain fabric andv the edges of the reinforced portions are fashioned at the same time that the lace or non-run loop portions are being formed. It is desirable that 4 2 the fashioning be performed by stitch transfer but this requires that the narrow combs be used which in turn again requires that they move with the nuts in both directions.

A principal object of the instant invention is the provision of improved means for automatically connecting the narrow and wide combs for unison operation when required in the above mentioned and other situations and for nonunison operation in other cases.

l-Ieretofore, mechanisms have been provided to positively connect the narrow combs to the narrowing nuts to operate in unison with the wide point combs and to disconnect the narrow combs from the wide combs for non-unison operation. However, certain of such mechanisms operated to release the narrow combs only after the narrowing combs, nuts and a control mechanism carried on the nuts, were moved to predetermined positions in a cycle of operation. In another device, the release means was in a fixed position making it necessary to move the nuts and point combs to said fixed position to permit the release means to function to disconnect the wide combs from the nuts whereby only the narrow combs continued to function to fashion the fabric. Also, each of the prior devices was constructed and arranged to function for one specific purpose and then only when in one predetermined position.

It is therefore another object of the invention to provide means for overcoming the above mentioned and other objections to the mechanism heretofore preposed for controlling the operation of the wide and narrow point combs during the fashioning of stocking blanks.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a full-fashioned knitting machine with means for connecting the narrow point combs to and disconnecting them from the comb operating means in any position of the comb operating means during fashioning operations of the machine.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention resides in the novel elements, features of construction and cooperation of parts in cooperative relationship, as hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings: c

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of the left end of a full-fashioned knitting machine having mechanism according to the invention incorporated therein;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view as seen from the left of Fig. 1 and enlarged relative to Fig. l, certain parts being omitted and others broken away in order to more clearly illustrate the invention;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the mechanism looking in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view taken inthe direction of the arrows 66 of Fig. 2;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the mechanismshown in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is. a detail. view similar.- toa. portion; of Fig. 6, certain of the parts being omitted;-

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line |i!| ilof; Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken. substantially onthe line i-l I ofFig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a detailed. elevational view looking fromthe left of Fig. 6 and Fig..l3 is a view similar to Fig. 11 but with the parts shown in different relative positions.

In. the drawingsv and description, only. the means. necessary to a. complete understanding of the invention. are specifically set forth; further informationasto the construction and operation of other related, usual andv well knowntknitting machine elements, mechanisms, etc., may be found in. one or more of the following'publications of the Textile Machine Works, Reading, Pa.: The Reading Full-Fashioned Knitting Machine Parts. Catalog, published in 1940, the

supplement thereto entitled-The Reading High Production Full-Fashioned Knitting Machine, publishedin. 1940, and The- Reading Full-Fashioned. Knitting. Machine Parts Catalog published in 1947.

Themechanism shown in the drawings com prises aportionof a full-fashioned knitting machine in which the novel features ofthe invention have been. incorporated. The-mechanism includes a needle bar for each section of the ma chine, rods having wide andnarrowpoint combs, a. rod having a wide comb and, a rod having a narrow comb actingv at times asa pair at. each end, of. each needle bar, a narrowing, head hav.- ing a nut positively connectedto eachof the rods for the wide combs and means for locking the rods for the narrow COrnbstO the nuts whereby the nuts operate the pairs of. wide and narrow combs as a unit. The lockin means is operated from a cam on the camshaft of the machine, the operation of which is controlled-by an auxiliary pattern device.

In the drawings and more particularly in Figs. 1 and there is shown a portion of the left end ofa multi-section full-fashioned knitting machine includin an end: frame I5, center frames I51; a front. beam H, a back beam 2|],- acenter bed 2|; and. a front bed 24, the beams and beds con necting the end: and center frames in-spaced re lationalong thelength of the machine. The ma chine is provided-with a camshaft having cams (not shown) for operating needles 26 carried in needle bars 22, one for each knitting section of the machine. Cooperatin with the needles 2t informing stocking fabrics are yarn carriersfor laying yarn and sinkers and dividers (not shown) for forming the yarn into loops on the needles in the usual manner. Also cooperating with the needles to fashion the stocking fabrics is a narrowing mechanism including wide and narrow point combs 38 and 3|, pairs of the wide and narrow combs being provided for each side-of each knitting section, carried: on rods 33 and 34, respectively, slidably mounted in brackets 35. The brackets 35 are carried on a front narrowing shaft 36 supported by arms 39 fixed to a back narrowingshaft 43 (Fig. 2) which is pivotally mounted in the end frames I5 and center frames l6.

The-rods 33 for the left and right wide combs SUI-are providedv with brackets 4| having adjustaole-bolts Ml: engaging opposite faces of a bracket 45. fixedgto a. left nut 36 and a bracket 49 fixed to a right nut 5'6, respectively as shown in Figs. 3,.4. and- 5. The nuts 55 and 50 are mounted on oppositely threaded portions of a spindle 5| carriedinbearingmembersitl and which are sup ported by a base member 55 fixed on: the center bed 2|. Arms, 51:, slidably mounted on a rod- 58 carriedin. the brackets 5-iand 55, areconnected to the nuts 45 and 59 to prevent rotative movement. of the nuts-relative-to the spindle-5|. The rodstd; for the left andright narrow point combs 3 i carry-brackets-GZ having adjustablestop screws 59'. for engagement with the facing surfaces of the brackets wand 33 of left and right nuts 46 and 58, respectively. With this arrangement in each section the wide combsv 32 are positively moved toward and away from each. other and the narrowcombs3| are only moved-toward each other or in the narrowin direction.

In the usual practice, the wide combs 36 are operated by the spindle 5| by means of an acati mechanism 60 to narrow or widen the fashioned portions of the stocking blanks to the startof the-toe while the-narrow combs are inactively positioned; at the center of the blanks. At the start. of the-toe ofthe blanks, the'nan row combs-are'movedoutwardly to within a one needle distance from the wide combs and: the wide and narrow combs, then acting in pairs, are operated to form the diamond toe narrowings. During the first portion of the diamond toe narrowings, the Wide combs 30 are moved: a two needle distance inthe-narrowing direction and the narrow combs 3|, being, spaceda one needle distancefrom the widecombs, are moved one needle, thereby forming two adjacent fashion marks separated by-the-width of the narrow point combs. After. each narrowingoperation the wide combs are moved outwardly-a one needle distance and. the narrow combs remain stationary, which again spaces the Wide combs a one needle distancefromthe narrow combs. After a predetermined number of narrowing operations to-for-m parallel rows of'fashionmarksin the upper portion of the diamond narrowings, the rows of marks are brought to apoint. To effect this result the wide combs continue to move a two needle distance and the narrow combs are moved a. one needle distance inthe narrowing direction. Immediately following each narrowing operation in the latter group, the wide and narrow combs are idly moved a. further one needle distance in the narrowing direction and then the wide combs are idly moved outwardly a one needle distance to again separate the wide andnarrow combs by adistance of one needle.

The operating steps. for the wide and narrow combs. 30 and 3|, respectively, toform the diamond. toe narrowings as. explained above, forms no part of the present invention and is therefore only briefly described herein. Also, the mechanism for operating the wide and narrow combs as set forth is not a part of the invention and hence, is only diagrammatically shown at St in Fig. 1. A more detailed description of the operating steps and means for performing such Steps are to be found in the pendin patent application of Christian F. Schlemmer, Serial No. 255,199, filed November '7, 1951.

In knitting stocking blanks according to the present trend in which the toe looping operation is omitted, immediately following the formation of the last diamond toe narrowings, additional narrowings are formed to brin the fabric edges of the toe substantially to a point. The rows or lines of fashion marks are also caused to converge substantially to a point and toward the selvage edges of the blanks. In order to form the converging fashion marks, the narrow combs 3| must be employed and the combs moved a distance of two needles in the narrowing direction and an idle one needle distance in the outward direction. However, as hereinbefore set forth, the rods 34 carrying the narrow point combs 3i are conventionally connected to the nuts 46 and se to move only in the narrowing direction and means must therefore be provided to connect or look the rods 34 to the nuts to positively move the narrow point combs in opposite directions.

In accordance with the instant invention the mean for locking the rods 3:2 for the narrow combs 3| to the nuts 46 and 50, respectively, includes the stop screws 59 one of which is carried on the rod for the left narrow point combs 3i and which is adapted to engage the bracket 45 on the nut 45. The other stop screw 58 is carried on the rod for the right narrow point combs SI and engages the bracket 45- on the nut to.

The rod 34 for the left narrow point comb 3i carries a second stop screw SI for engagement with a lever 64 when the stop screw 59 on the rod is in engagement with the bracket d on the nut 45. Likewise, the rod 34 for the right narrow point comb 3| carries one of the stop screws iii for engagement with a lever 55 when the stop screw 59 on the rod is in engagement with the bracket 49 on the nut 5?; (Fig. 4). The lever 64 is pivotally carried on a shaft 56 fixed in the bracket (Figs. 2 and 3) and the lever is pivotally carried on a shaft lsEl fixed in the bracket as (Figs. 3 and 5). Each of the levers 64 and 55 are provided with a forked portion H! for en gagement with a rod 7i mounted in arms i i fixed to a shaft 75. mounted in the bearing members 5 and 55 (Figs. 1 and 5) To move the levers 6d and 55 into locking engagement with the rods 3% for the left and right narrow point combs 3|, respectively, the arms is are turned clockwise about the axis of the shaft I5 and through the connection between the rod I! and forked portions It, the levers E4 and are moved counterclockwise into engagement with the stop screws 5! on the rods 35. The levers E i and 65 are provided with adjustable screws It which are adapted to engage the brackets t5 and 49, respectively, to limit the counterclockwise movement of the levers (Figs. 3 and 5). The arms M are also provided with adjustable stop screws '79 which are adapted to engage the hearing members 54 and 55 to limit the counterclockwise movement of the arms (Figs. 1, 2 and 3).

The shaft i5 is turned to move the arms I4 clockwise to lock the narrow point comb rods 36 The shaft '55 is pivotally 6- to the nuts 46 and 56 by means of an arm fixed to the shaft. The arm 86 has one end of a rod 8| pivotally connected thereto, the other end of the rod being pivotally connected to one arm 83 of a lever 84. The lever 84 is pivotally mounted on a pin 85 fixed in a bracket 85 secured to the back beam 20 and the arm 83 has a pin 88 which rotatably carries a cam follower 89 adapted to cooperate with a cam 90 on the camshaft 25 of the machine. The follower 89 is biased toward the cam 90 by means of a spring 9% connected between the arm 83 and a bracket 9 secured to the front beam I! (Figs. 1 and 2). The follower 89 is also movable axially on the pin 88 from a normally inactive position out of the path of the cam 90 into the path of the earn, as hereinafter set forth, by means of a forked end of a follower shifting lever 96 pivotally mounted on the arm 83 (Figs. 7 and 8).

The arm 83 of lever 84 has two operating positions, a high position which is determined by engagement of the follower 89 with a high portion 99 of the cam 59 and a low position which is determined by the engagement of a second arm I so of the lever 84 with a set screw I 94 adjustably carried in an arm I04 of the bracket 36 (Figs. 8 and 12). In moving to its high posi tion, the arm 83 moves the rod BI in the direction indicated by an arrow A (Fig. 2) to turn the arms I4 counterclockwise and the levers 8 and 65 clockwise (Fig. 5) to disengage the stop screws 6| on the rods 34 for the left and right narrow point combs 3|, respectively. In moving to its low position, the arm 83, moves the rod 8! in the direction indicated by an arrow B (Fig. 2) to turn the arms I4 clockwise and the levers (-34 and E5 counterclockwise into engagement with the stop screws (ii on the narrow point comb rods 34 when the stop screws 59 for such rods are in engagement with the brackets 45 and 49 on the nuts 46 and 50, respectively.

The arm 83 of the lever 84 is normally maintained in its high position throughout the formation of a stocking blank to the start of the series of narrowing operations, following the diamond toe narrowings, to bring the tip of the toe substantially to a point. For maintaining the 83 in the high position, a control means W3 is provided including a latch lever I95 pivotally mounted on a stud I86 carried in the bracket 85. The lever I05 has a lip portion I69 adapted to overlie and engage a flat end portion lid of the arm I 96 of the lever 84 and a spring I I I, connected to the lever I05 and the bracket 83 (Figs. 9 and 11), tends to bias the lip portion into such engagement with the arm. The lever Hi5 carries a member H4 by means of headed studs H5, the studs engaging in slots H6 (Figs. 9 and 1G) in the member to guide said member for movement relative to the lever. The member H4 is provided with a projecting portion H9 having a pin I20 fixed therein which is normally held in engagement with the flat end portion I IQ of the arm I00, as shown in Figs. '7, 9 and 11, by a spring IZI connected between the member and the lever I95.

As hereinbefore set forth, the arm 83 of the lever 84 is normally latched in its high position by engagement of the lip I 89 of the lever I with the fiat end portion III} of the arm ltd of the lever M (Fig. 13), the lever Hi5 being held in the latched position by the spring I I I. When it is desired to move the levers t4 and as into locking relation with the narrow point comb rods 34, the latch lever I05 must be moved out of engagement with the end. portion IIO.. With. the lever 8.4 releasedtfromthe lever m and with.

the follower 8Q shifted into alignment with the cam 90 by theforked; lever 9G,.the follower. rides from the high to the low portion of the cam thereby causing the levers 64 and 85 to engage and lock. the narrow point comb. rods 34 to the nuts 55 and 5.0.

The means for moving the latch lever I05 out of engagement with thelever 84 includes a lever 524: one end I of which is adapted to engage a side edge I26; of a portion I29 of the member Iill (Fig. 13) when the. lever I24 is turned in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in. Fig. 9

or in aclockwise' direction. as viewed in Figs.

11 ands 13,-. The lever I24 has a lower arm i323 which engages a dog I3-I fixed on a rod IB i. The arm I 39 is held in engagement with the dog by means of. a. spring: I connected between the arm and-1a second dog I3'I fixed to the rod i3 2 (Fig. 6). The rod I34 is connected to one arm ISt of a bell crank lever I39 pivotally mounted on a frame member I40 forming a part of a pattern means IAI. A second arm I i-4 of the bell crank lever I39 isconnected by means of a link I toa pivoted pattern lever ME which is adapted to be engaged by buttons I49 on a chain I56 (Figs. 2 and 6) also: forming part of the pattern means IAI. Alsocarried on the rod see,

as hereinbefore-set forth, is the dog it'i adapted to engage a depending arm I54 of the lever 95 for shifting the cam follower 8% A spring I55, connected between the arm I55 and dog 53%, normally maintains engagement between the arm and dog butis arranged to permit disengagement at times as hereinafter set forth. The pattern means MI. forms no part of the present invention and is only shown in sufficient detail to explain how. the means I03 is set into operation to control thelocking of the narrow point comb rods 35'. to the nuts 66 and 50.

With the lip we of the latch lever H35 in engagement with the end MB of the lever 85' (Fig. 13), in which position the arm 83 of the lever as and the cam follower is in the high position, a button I49 is moved beneath the pattern lever Hit of the pattern. means M1 to turn the lever I39 counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 6. Ccunterclockwise movement of the lever I39 moves the rod: I34?- and the dog I31 to the right and the spring I55 connected to the dog also movesthe arm Hi l to the'right (Fig. 6). Movement of the arm I54 to the right turns the lever 35 counterclockwise about its pivot, as viewed in Fig. 8, to shift the cam follower 89 into alignment with the cam 90. Movement of the rod 534 to the right as viewed in Fig. 9 or to the left as viewed in Figs. ll and 13' also moves the dog I31 in the same direction and carries the spring I35 to move the end I25 of lever I2e into engagement with the side edge or face I26 of memher He and turn lever I05 to disengage the lip I539 from the end III) of the lever 84. The extent of movement of the lever I05 to disengage the lever 8 1 is controlled by engagement of an adjustable screw I56 carried in the lever I05, against the bracket 66 (Figs. 9, 11 and 13). With the lever 84. released from the latch lever I95 and the follower 89 aligned with the cam til, as the follower 89' moves from the high portion t9 toward the low portion of the cam, the lever 85 is turned clockwise, as viewed in Fig. '7, the arms T4 are turned clockwise and the levers 5d and are moved counterclockwise into'engagement with the stop screws GI thereby locking 8t the narrow point comb. rods 35 to the nuts 46 and 53;. respectively;

The lever 84.: turnsclockwise until. the arm IUII. engages the set screw IIlI, the end portion I'IEI of the lever as rising above the lip me of. the latch lever I65, as shown inFig. 11. Following. locking of the rods 36 to the nuts 46 and 50 the button I419 is moved out of engagement with/the pattern lever I46 and a spring I83 connected: to the lever I46 biases the lever toward the chain thereby turning lever I39 clockwise and moving the rod I35 to the left as viewed in Fig. 6. Movement of the rod I34. to the. left. returns the lever I2fl'to the position of Figs. 9 and 11 and the lever 95 to the position of- Figs. 6 and 8 through the dogs I3I and I37, respectively. Also, as the end portion H9 rises the member H4 is raised, against the action of the spring I2I, to move a bottom edge I59'of the portion; I29-of themember above the end I425 of the lever I24 for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

When it is desired to release the rods 3 for the narrow point ccmbs fiI from the nuts es and 59, to permit noneunison operation of the wide and narrow. point combs, as in the diamond point toe, another button I48 on the chain IE2 is moved into engagement with the lever I ZE thereby shifting rod Hill to the right as viewed in Figs. 5 and 9. Movement of the rod I311 to-the right tensionsspring I55 so-that when permitted the follower 35: is again shifted into alignment with the low part of the cam 93 by the forked end 95 of the lever 96- and the lever I24 is moved counterclockwise thereby moving the end I25 of the lever I24- beneath'thebottom edge I59 of the portion I28. As the follower Bil-rides from the low portion to the high portion 98.- of the cam 9 .1, the lever 86 is turned counterclockwise and the member IIE- engages and is supportedby the lever I2 i thereby breaking the engagement. between the pin I20 in-the-member and end iii of the lever 8 With the parts so positioned, as the lever 8 reaches the end of. its counterclockwise movement,. the spring Iii turns the'lever I clockwise, as viewed inFig. 9, or counterclockwise, as viewed in- Fig. 11, to again move the lip H39 of the lever I85 intolatching engagement with the end IIl=of the lever 84- (Fig; 13). When the button Md is disengaged from the pattern lever 1% the rod IE4 is again shifted to the left (Figs. 6 and 9) to turn the lever EEG-to move the follower 33' out of alignment with the cam 99 and to move the end I25. out of engagement with the member H4. The spring I-ZI thereupon draws member H4 downwardly until the pin I2!) is in engagement with the end IIE and the edge IZt is again in position to be engaged by the end I25 of the lever I24 when another button I- l'Q- is moved into engagement with the lever I45.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that the rods 84 of the narrowpoint combs 3| may be positively engaged to the nuts 35 and 5D to operate the narrow combs in unison with the wide point combs 3! whenever the stop screws 5i on the rods are in engagement with the brackets 35 and 459' of: the nuts. Also; whenever desired, the rods 34 for the narrow point combs 3i may be released from positive engagement with the nuts and operate in a nonunisonmanner to form the diamond toe narrowings or the narrow combs may be idly-positionedat the center of the needle bars 29 while the wide combs 30 fashion the fabric, as hereinbefore set forth. Further, one operation of the pattern means I II causes the control means I93. to lock the narrow. point comb rods 34 to the nuts 46 and 50 and a similar operation of the pattern means causes the control means to function to release the narrow point comb rods from the nuts.

The invention has been described in connection with the formation of stockings having conventional leg and foot fashionings and in which the selvage edges of the toe tip are brought substantially to a point thereby eliminating the usual toe loopings. However, the invention is also applicable where the wide and narrow combs operate as a single comb in the reinforced heel and sole portions of lace and non-run stockings and where the toes are fashioned as hereinbefore set forth. In the latter form of stockings, buttons M9 on the chain l 58 control the operation of the mechanism to lock the rods for the narrow point combs to the nuts to fashion the heel and sole portions of the stockings, to release the rods from the nuts to form the diamond tee narrowings, to again lock the rods to the nuts to narrow the toe tip and to again release the rods from the nuts for the start of the next stocking blanks.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described by which I obtain the above results, can be changed and modified in various ways with-out departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a knittin machine having a camshaft and narrowing mechanism including first and second point combs, rods for the combs, a spindle having reversely threaded portions, nuts on said spindle, means for connecting said first combs to said nuts for movement in widening and narrow ing directions, in combination with means for locking the rods for said second point combs to said nuts for positive movement in the widening and narrowing directions including a lever pivoted on each of said nuts, cam means on said camshaft for connecting said levers to and disconnecting them from said rods in any operating position of said nuts and means for controlling.

the operation of said cam means.

2. In a full-fashioned knittin machine having narrowing mechanism for fashioning fabric knitted on the machine, said narrowing mechanism including a first and a second point comb operating at each selvage edge of said fabric, a rod on which each of said combs is mounted, a spindle having reversely threaded portions, nuts on said spindle, and means for positively connecting the rods for said first point combs to the nuts for movement in opposite directions, and means for moving the rods for said second point combs only J in the narrowing direction, in combination with means on said nuts for positively connecting the rods for said second point combs to said nuts, means for operating said connecting means and pattern means for controlling said operating means.

3. In a full-fashioned knitting machine having mechanism for fashioning stocking fabric knitted on said machine including first and second point combs operating at opposite selvage edges of said blanks, a rod for each of said combs, a spindle having reversely threaded portions, nuts on said spindle, means for connecting the rods for said first point combs to said nuts for movement in opposite directions, means for moving the rods for said second point combs in the narrowing direction, means on the nuts for locking said rods for said second point combs to said nuts for movement in opposite directions and for releasing said rods from said nuts, cam means for operating said locking and releasing means and control means for said cam means for determining the locking and releasing positions of said means on said nuts.

4. A straight knitting machine having mechanism for fashioning stocking fabric knitted on said machine including first and second point combs adapted to operate along each selvage edge of the fabric, a rod for each of said combs, a spindle having reversely threaded portions, nuts on said spindle, the rods for said first combs being connected to said nuts for movement in opposite directions and the rods for said second combs being connected to the nuts for movement only in the narrowing direction in combination with means on said nuts for connecting the rods for said second combs to said nuts for movement in opposite directions and for releasing said rods from said nuts, cam means for operating said connecting means and control means for said cam means including a latch member for maintaining said connecting means in released position.

5. In a knitting machine having mechanism for fashioning stocking fabric knitted on said machine including wide and narrow point combs adapted to operate at each selvage edge of the fabric, a rod for each of said point combs, a threaded spindle having reversely threaded portions, nuts on said spindle, means for connecting the rods for the wide point combs to said nuts for movement in opposite directions, and connections between the rods for the narrow point combs and the nuts for moving said rods only in the narrowing direction, in'combination with means for connecting the rods for the narrow point combs to the nuts for movement in opposite directions including a lever pivoted on each of said nuts, and means common to both of the levers for operating said levers in any operating position of the nuts on said spindle.

6. In a straight knitting machine having a camshaft and mechanism operated by said camshaft for fashioning stocking fabric knitted on said machine including wide and narrow point comb-s adapted to operate at each selvage edge of the fabric, a rod for each of said combs, a spindle having reversely threaded portions, nuts on said spindle, means for connecting the rods for the wide combs to said nuts for movement in opposite directions, means for connecting the rods for the narrow combs to said nuts for movement only in the narrowing direction, means pivotally mounted on said nuts for connecting the rods for the narrow combs to said nuts for movement in opposite directions and for releasing said rods from said nuts, a cam on said camshaft, connections between said cam and pivoted means, means for latching said connections and pivoted means in released position, and pattern means for operating said latching means for releasing said connections to operate said pivoted means to connect said rods for the narrow combs to said nuts.

'7. In a straight knitting machine having a camshaft and mechanism operated by said camshaft for fashioning stocking fabric knitted on said machine including wide and narrow point combs adapted to operate at each selvage edge of the fabric, a rod for each of said combs, a spindle having reversely threaded portions, nuts on said spindle, means for connecting the rods for the wide point combs to said nuts for movement in opposite directions, and means for connecting the rods for the narrow point combs to said nuts ace-4582 shaft, a cam lever, a follower carried on said cam lever and shiitable thereon into and out of the path of said cam, and means adapted to transmit an impulse from said cam lever to said levers on said nuts to move said levers into and out of engagement with said rods for said narrow point combs.

8. In a knitting machine having a camshaft and mechanism operated by said camshaft for fashioning stocking fabric knitted on said machine, including wide and narrow point combs adapted to operate at each selvage edge of the fabric, a rod for each of said combs, a spindle having reversely threaded portions, nuts on said spindle, means for connecting the rods for the wide point combs to said nuts for movement in opposite directions, and connections between the rods for the narrow point combs and the nuts for moving said rods only in the narrowing direction, in combination with means including said connections for connecting the rods for the narrow pointcombs ,to-the nuts for movement in opposite directions with the rods for the wide point combs, a lever pivoted on each of said nuts, means commonto and adapted to engage both of said levers in any position of the nuts on said spindle, and means operated from said camshaft for actuating said common means to connect the rods for the 12 narrow point combs to and to disconnect them from said nuts.

.9. In a knitting machine having a camshaft and mechanism operated by said camshaft for fashioning stocking fabric knitted on said machine including wide and narrow point combs adapted :to operate at each selvage edge of the fabric, .a rod for each of said point combs, a spindle having reversely threaded portions, nuts on said spindle, means for connecting the rods for the wide point combs to said nuts for movement in opposite directions, and connections between the rods :for the narrow point combs and the nuts for moving said rods only in the narrowing direction, in combination with means including said connections for positively connecting the rods for the narrow point combs to the nuts for movement in opposite directions with the rods for the wide point combs, a lever pivoted on each of said nuts, means common to and adapted to engage both of said levers in any position of the nuts-on said spindle, cam means, means connecting said common means and operated by said cam means to connect the rods for the narrow combs to and to disconnect them from said nuts, and pattern means for controlling the operation of said-cam means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

